Miners' terraces, lias stone and clay pantiles
Midsomer Norton grew on coal. Pits opened around the town from the 1700s, and the last one, Norton Hill, closed in 1966. What the coalfield left behind is plain from any roof-level view: long rows of two-storey stone miners' cottages, mostly in Welton and at the west end of Radstock Road, each terrace punctuated by a line of chimney stacks. The council's own appraisal describes the town's traditional building as white lias limestone with oolitic limestone dressings, roofed in clay pantiles and natural slate. You will also find plain clay tiles and double Roman profiles, and some roofs were once thatched, though none survive.
Later 19th-century houses, especially around Silver Street, tend to have hipped, shallower roofs in slate. The Victorian white lias terraces of Rackvernal Road and Excelsior Terrace, below the tree-lined valley side of the Town Park site, are good examples. Away from the historic streets, there is plenty of 20th-century housing. Much of the former Norton House grounds became the 1930s Park Way estate. In Westfield, terraced miners' cottages line the Fosse Way, and 1970s estates were added on both sides of the road. On these newer homes, concrete tiles are the norm, and flat-roofed garages and extensions are common.
Hills, valleys and the River Somer
The town lies on the edge of the Mendip Hills, between the valleys of the River Somer and the Wellow Brook. The Somer runs right through the centre, partly in a culvert, and a flood alleviation tunnel beneath the High Street has kept the street dry since 1977. Being on hillsides means roofs here catch the wind from the south-west and the rain that comes with it, especially on the higher, open edges of town.
On the old terraces the weak points are predictable. Chimney stacks take the worst of the weather. Older pantiles often hang on their nibs with few or no nails, so a strong gust can shift them. Where a terrace steps down a slope, each house's roof meets the next at a junction that relies on flashings or mortar fillets, and those are often where the water finds a way in.
Conservation area status and what it means
The Midsomer Norton and Welton Conservation Area covers almost 69 hectares, taking in the High Street, Church Square and The Island, Welton, Radstock Road, Silver Street and Redfield Road among other parts. It is on Historic England's Heritage at Risk register. The appraisal names one particular problem: natural roof coverings replaced with concrete tiles or other artificial materials, which it says harms the area's character.
So if you are in the conservation area and re-roofing, expect natural clay or slate to be preferred. Bath and North East Somerset Council is the planning authority, not Somerset Council, so speak to the B&NES planning team before you change roof materials. Listed buildings, among them St John the Baptist's church (Grade II*) and the 1860 Town Hall (Grade II), need consent for almost any alteration to the roof.
Common jobs in Midsomer Norton
- Rebuilding terrace stacks. Repointing, re-flaunching and new pots and flashings on the rows of chimneys that define the old miners' streets. See our chimney repair service.
- Natural roofs for conservation streets. Stripping and re-laying clay pantiles or slate and replacing rotten battens, sometimes replacing an old concrete roof with natural materials. We cover this under re-roofing and new roofs.
- Ridges and hips. Re-bedding loose ridge tiles or converting to a dry-fix system on post-war estates. Our ridge tile repair work explains both.
- Junctions on stepped terraces. Where one cottage's roof meets the next on a slope, lead soakers and flashings, or old mortar fillets, keep the water out. We cut out failed fillets and renew the lead as part of our leadwork service.
- Felted garages and back extensions. Replacing failed felt with a modern system on the post-war estates. See our flat roofing options.
From first call to clean-up
Owners of Midsomer Norton homes can book a visit by phoning 07933 861 087, and emails to hello@somersetroofing.co.uk land with the same people. We do not charge for coming out, and the price we give you is free, with no commitment. Photos of whatever we spot on the roof are sent to you alongside a written breakdown of the work. Terraces raise a particular point: when scaffolding or a repair touches a shared stack or the house next door, we explain what is involved so you can speak to your neighbours first. At the end, the site is cleared and the old materials go with us. To get things moving, request a quote from us.
Where we cover around Midsomer Norton
We work across the town: the High Street and The Island, Welton and Millards Hill, Radstock Road, Silver Street, Redfield Road, Stone's Cross, Park Way and the 20th-century estates around the edge of town. We also cover Westfield along the Fosse Way, Clandown, Paulton, Chilcompton two miles to the south, and Stratton-on-the-Fosse. Next door, we offer roofing in Radstock as well.
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